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Ups and downs of milling down under

Started by sigidi, December 17, 2012, 04:28:58 AM

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sigidi

So a bunch of weeks ago, I had orders which covered the last of my logs and kept getting inquiries for more - to the tune of $7,000  :( I tried going to log merchants to buy more log, but no luck. I kept thinking and telling my better half "something will turn up soon" I cut my last orders and managed to do much better on recovery than I had planned and could take a few more orders YAY  8) then while offsite doing my second last delivery, I had my trunk of tools and mill accessories stolen - the Lucas kitbox with sharpener, tools, spare hydraulic strut, replacement EFI filter line, slabber sprocket and adapter plate, slabbing chains, bunch of mill spare parts and my new 18v Bosch cordless!! Lucas kitbox and slabber drive adapter replacement almost $1,200 alone - happened on a Friday and best I could do was get the stuff replaced by Tuesday, ended up losing a 2 day $100/hr job slabbing due to the lack of gear :( (Jobsite now has battery operated motion detector cameras!)
My missus found me some logs to cut some split posts from and we went out marked and docked them all just after the machines had pushed them over and picked up two orders for just over $1,500 from them 8) on the way to go get them, I found out about another bunch of logs - took me two days just to dock and stack them 8)


check out the paint can for scale




All of these where 5m long

when I do get out to the original split logs (over an hour and 20min drive away)...some low down scumbag has flogged the logs :(
within the hour of finding out those logs have been stolen, I get a call about a 6 acre paddock I could go through and take logs 8)


A pic of one log I found in this paddock - from glove to glove its 8m long

Also pulled out enough split logs...




to do the original $1,500 orders and another load


big enough to do a further $1,200 order for delivery later this week. 8) 8)

I get a truck organised to pick up the other logs I scored and the day they get delivered to the development site where I've been milling for the last 8 months, I get a call from the site supervisor to say they have had some issues on site and they need the part of the development he had said was mine for 8 more weeks - so I have to pack up and move everything, new logs, old logs, sawn timber, spread sawdust, flitches... my whole 8 months of milling operation:(


Millsite cleaned up and ready for hand over


where I was able to move everything to, but I cant mill there anymore and now need to find a new millsite to home this lot


firewood logs pile with 20l fuel jerry for scale - a mix of species but around 5-6 cubic metres


old logs mainly bluegum about 4 cubic metres


sawn timber most ready for delivery


Part of the new logs - mostly ironbark about 4 cubic metres


more new logs - tallowood about 12 cubic metres


A pic of all 30 ton or so of my stuff I need to move to a new millsite asap :(

AND I'm yet to haul out the lions share of the log from the 6 acre paddock - I estimate another 15-18 cubic metres of ironbark or roughly another 22 ton.... 8)

Got orders and heaps of logs, now on the hunt for a new millsite ;)

Thanks for hangin in there...
Always willing to help - Allan

dgdrls

Very sorry to hear your tools were stolen, nothing worse you can do to fellow and
his family short of....  Family site I'll stop.

I'm glad to see your busy enough though,

Dandy looking trailer and load :)
What are the spec's for your work truck??
Pulling a mill is a FF topic,  would be interested in your response.

Best
DGDrls





JustinW_NZ

Good to see some pictures, and ones with trees i recognise  :D
My mill is parked by a few truckloads of brownbarrel currently im trying to swap services for otherwise they just love turning them into firewood?!?!

yeah, dam theives that sounds awefull :(

Cheers
Justin
Gear I run;
Woodmizer LT40 Super, Treefarmer C4D, 10ton wheel loader.

Meadows Miller

I hear you all the way down here Mate  its the song of the small sawmiller you have got logs but hunting for orders or have got no logs everybody is hanging of you saying we need that timber :) :) I have had the Badicoot's around here for years too the worst part of it they will cut up good sawlog for firewood  had about a 150 ton go missing over the years and its been a pita every bloody time :) :( >:( :'( Those are some nice looking logs you have scored to pickup what went missing  though Mate  ;) ;D ;D 8) 8)

But it is Good to hear it sounds like things are heading in the rite direction apart from the site issue  ;)  ;D ;D 8) thats why I moved to the site im on now and don't intend on ever letting go of it  ;) but I know the feeling you had after having about half a dozen semi static sites over the years it dose turn it into a transport game but i do feel you get abit more control over production and such   :)

Im looking like im booked solid for the next few years atleast but as we know that can change in a heartbeat  :o :) ??? :P ::)  :D :D But i have spent since i got home spending more time lining things up than acctually doing any bloody sawmilling  :( :'( but then again i have the other new mill which makes the varteg look small coming on friday the site set up and 800 to 1000 ton of Spotted gum hitting the yard over the first 3 months of next year followed buy 600 of Ironbark along with Alot of  Plantation Pine & Hardwood from Jan 2nd aiming to hit the 75 cube (32000bft) a week sawn mark by feb  :) :) :)

Regards Chris
4TH Generation Timbergetter

Seaman

Thought I was having a rough coupla weeks!
It will work out man, good things come to good people!
Lucas dedicated slabber
Woodmizer LT40HD
John Deere 5310 W/ FEL
Semper Fi

kderby

Classic USA Yankee saying: 

"No rest for the wicked and the righteous don't need it."

You are a busy boy!  Stay safe, thanks for the pictures!

Kderby

sigidi

Thanks for the kind words fella's I'm positive that things will even out  ;)

DGDrls, will check in on that one....
Always willing to help - Allan

sealark37

My Grandfather always said that the best way to deter a firewood thief was to drill a one inch hole in a nice chunk and fill it with gunpowder, then tap a plug in to seal it.

sigidi

First day of milling in 2013 yesterday, was milling for forum member Weisyboy as he is away for 3 weeks and he's asked me to cover his 'impatient' orders while he is gone. He had left a whole heap of mess and sawdust as I guess he was trying to squeeze out some 'impatient' order right up to leaving for his 3 week fishing trip.

Anyway the day started like one of those days, stubbed my toe, tore a chunk off my boot, cracked my noggin just getting into the ute and I thought "here we go, one of those days!!" had battery trouble with Weisyboys bobcat anyway after a couple hours got to the point I could start milling, had a 5.8m grey ironbark in the mill (even though Carl's mill was set with his endframes 5.4m apart) gt everything lined up and ready for first cut....

As I was doing that first cut, horizontal first, flipped the blade came back for the vertical, sawdust flying blade chewing through the log, melting away this big old Ironbark, I get this smile on my dial and I think "man I almost forgot how much I love this!!" - I reckon 2013 is gonna be a good year ;)
Always willing to help - Allan

captain_crunch

Hope you Chris and the rest are out of fire zone ??? ???
M-14 Belsaw circle mill,HD-11 Log Loader,TD-14 Crawler,TD-9 Crawler and Ford 2910 Loader Tractor

sigidi

Yeah Cap, I'm well away from flames, not sure about old mate Chris tho he is down south and most of the heat is down that way - hope he is ok though.
Always willing to help - Allan

Meadows Miller

Gday

Everythings fine here so far only small ones had a 20acre fire up the road about 3 mi away but it was grass and the fire brigades got on it quick the the big n huge forest ones are going about 60 mi and  160 mi away going to burn for the next week already burnt 30000 acres last count by the looks of it with those but the whole state and South Australia and NSW is tinder dry n just about ready to go up if or when and where it gets an ignition source so we will be expecting more than afew more hopefully they are in grass and farming land which is more controlable Mate  ;)


Allan Great to hear your already off n running for the year and 2013 is looking a great year for you Mate  ;) ;D ;D ;D my new mill wont be in till next week n ill be able to turn a saw then for the new year but  I have 2000 ton of Redgum and another 1000 of Spotted gum and 600 of Ironbark coming over the next few months along with alot of bloody Pine also  :) :)

Ohh and btw be expecting afew orders for 5x3 posts Sleepers and such over the year as We are putting a Sawmill Direct Timber yard in down Melbourne over the coming months I have been told to call it the Timber Mafia because its going to be a pretty select group Mate  ;) ;) :D :D  ;D ;D smiley_thumbsup smiley_thumbsup

And tell Carl he must be makin too much Money if he is taking three week fishing trips Mate  :) :) ;) :D :D ;D

Regards Chris
4TH Generation Timbergetter

sigidi

Quote from: Meadows Miller on January 09, 2013, 06:41:42 AM

Allan Great to hear your already off n running for the year and 2013 is looking a great year for you Mate  ;) ;D ;D ;D my new mill wont be in till next week n ill be able to turn a saw then for the new year but  I have 2000 ton of Redgum and another 1000 of Spotted gum and 600 of Ironbark coming over the next few months along with alot of bloody Pine also  :) :)

Ohh and btw be expecting afew orders for 5x3 posts Sleepers and such over the year as We are putting a Sawmill Direct Timber yard in down Melbourne over the coming months I have been told to call it the Timber Mafia because its going to be a pretty select group Mate  ;) ;) :D :D  ;D ;D smiley_thumbsup smiley_thumbsup

And tell Carl he must be makin too much Money if he is taking three week fishing trips Mate  :) :) ;) :D :D ;D

Regards Chris

Tell me about it, who the heck can afford to take 3 weeks off bloody fishin?!?!?!? I did have tomoroow morning earmarked for an early morning fish for a couple of hours, but have had to cancel as my 'nice easy first week back' has turned into hectic-ville...dont ya just love it ;D ;)
Always willing to help - Allan

dgdrls

Sigidi,

Glad to hear you and MM are clear of the fires. 

Let us know when you hit some Jarrah wood,
would love to see it coming off the mill.

best
DGDrls

Meadows Miller


Allan its got to have downtime i have heard but Apparently Im a Workaholic but im not sure about that call  :-\  ??? :) But  I just love My work though ;) :D :D :D :D


No worries as it looks like I will be milling some on sat so ill get some pics then when its comming of the mill might be one of my last days on the Timberking and at that mill too ;)
4TH Generation Timbergetter

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